Product Description

Welcome to Fat Land. Where the fries are extra large, the sodas are jumbo size and the jeans are "baggy fit". How did America get so fat, so fast? And are we going the same way?

Greg Critser's brilliant expose of how the land of the free became the land of the super fat has caused a sensation in the States. Fat Land reveals why America is now the fattest nation on the planet (apart from South Seas Islands) with 60 per cent of its population overweight; how cheap fats and sugars introduced into diest in the 70s helped make calories stick; how ruthless marketing by fast-food companies ensured that portions (and waistlines) kept on growing; and how every aspect of American life--class politics, TV, family--contributed to the supersising of a nation.

Disarmingly funny about every diet fad, Critser casts his critical eye over the lies people have been telling themselves about how much they eat and how little they exercise, and shows, frighteningly, how children are the chief victims of a Fat America.

Fat Land will make you think hard about the cost in human lives of America's obesity explosion. And it will make you think twice before slumping on the sofa and ordering another takeaway. The butt stops here...

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1117371 in Books
• Published on: 2003-05-23
• Format: Audiobook
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 240 pages

Review
"Just perusing the book, and seeing the [obesity] problem presented in such an articulate and lucid manner, can't help but make more informed food consumers out of readers." -- Los Angeles Times

Customer Reviews

Fat is a three letter word...
The author has come in for a lot of flack from fat-activists and others in the united states and elsewhere for a very simple reason. 'Fat Land' may explore all the issues - political, social, economic, historical - that have contributed to the staggering rise in obesity amongst Americans but he never fails to make one point abundantly clear. People get fat when they eat and drink more calories than they expend. Pretty simple equation really. Most of the critics of this book appear never to have read further than the first chapter in which Critser explains how he came to realise that he was too fat and what he could do about it. As a well-to-do white male with access to good medical care and the time and encouragement to exercise (and access to somewhere to perform said exercise) he lost weight. But if its that easy, why are so many Americans getting and staying bigger?

This is an excellent book that answers those questions examining the changes in agricultural policies that lead to the adoption of fructose and palm oil in convenience foods, how those portions got bigger to attract more customers, how fast food chains and soda drink suppliers have set up shop in underfunded schools - computers for calories - how physical education consists of more time spent changing than playing in some schools, that parks and municipal sports facilities are few and far between in the areas that need them most, that simple things like walking to work are impossible in the average American city - there are no sidewalks - and that ultimately, its expensive to be thin.

This is an engaging, entertaining book that pulls no punches in describing the costs in both human and financial terms caused by obesity that are only likely to escalate. Critser has written a brave riposte to a society that pushes self-confidence, self-esteem, self-absorption, self-celebration and self-denial. Sorry guys, fat is a three letter word.

Brilliant as incentive to assist a new way of eating...
This book is a great read and I agree with the previous 2 reviewers but the thing I found truly brilliant about it, was the psychological effect it had on me. Reading a few pages a day was sufficient to 'nudge' me into starting and continuing to eat healthily, as its message about junk food and similar comes through loud and clear. If someone else can benefit like I have from a book like this, then it's got to be a good thing.

Nothing held back in this frightening look at obesity
Having seen a couple of scary documentaries about the obesity epidemic, I was interested to read Critser’s take on what the causes are, who can be blamed, and what can be done.

Critser focusses his attention initially to the cultural revolution in the 1970s and 80s which he sees as being the underlying cause of how the huge increase in calories basically got into the human diet – he is open and honest in his blame for government officials who with hindsight put their priorities in the wrong place and turned a blind eye to what would be considered now to be detrimental to society.

Critser then explains a little more of the science involved in the human body, what causes calories to stay, and of course the side-effects associated to obesity.

Finally he focusses on what can be done now to tackle obesity and highlights some of the problems in society and in particular schools where excuses are being made to avoid tacking the key problems head on.

Throughout the book, Critser does not hold back.. he says exactly what he thinks needs to be done and paints a frightening picture for the life expectancy of the next generation of American society.

An excellent albeit somewhat frightening read.